Jesus Explained
Christmas 2023 • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Introduction
Introduction
Over the past several weeks, we have been looking at the various ways Jesus the Messiah, or Christ, is represented throughout the entire Bible.
We began with the Old Testament. And we saw:
How Jesus was predicted in the Old Testament.
Then we saw how Jesus was revealed in the Gospels.
Last week we looked at how Jesus was preached in the book of Acts. He was presented at the Jewish Messiah, and then as the Savior of the world.
That brings us to our passage today, were we see that Jesus is explained in the Epistles.
There are so many passages out of the epistles (or letters) that we could have chosen. But this morning I want to look at three passages that help us see Jesus.
If you have your Bibles, I want to encourage you to turn with me to the Epistle of Colossians.
The Supreme Son of God
The Supreme Son of God
The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
First, Jesus is the Son of God!
He is the image of God. Jesus told Philip “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9b).
Jesus is the firstborn over all creation. The term “firstborn” can be interpreted in two ways. First, it is the very first of all creation. Second, is the view that interprets this to mean preeminent in rank—Jesus is the highest rank and is over all of creation!
col 1 16
For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.
Jesus was the creative force—creating EVERYTHING
—In heaven and on earth.
—Visible and invisible.
—Thrones, powers, rulers, or authorities.
—Everything has been created by Him and it was created for Him.
He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
Jesus existed before there was anything else. John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” We know that the Word is a reference to Jesus.
And Jesus is the one that holds all of creation together!
And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
Jesus is the “head” of the Church.
Jesus is the beginning of those who are resurrected from the dead and given a new body!
Jesus is supreme over everything!
For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,
Through Jesus, God showed—demonstrated—all of His power and ability!
and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Through Jesus, the Father has made it where He can put everything into a right relationship with Him.
And through the shed blood of Jesus the Father has made peace with mankind.
Jesus, God’s Final Word
Jesus, God’s Final Word
In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways,
In the past God spoke through His prophets.
And God spoke in other various ways.
but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.
But now—in these days—God has spoken to us by His Son, Jesus.
Jesus was appointed to be the heir of all things.
And it was through Jesus that God made the universe.
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
Jesus is the “radiance” (the only place in this word is used)—or the shining glory of God.
Jesus is also the exact representation of God’s being.
And Jesus is the One who sustains everything. And He does it through His powerful word!
After He provided for the forgiveness of sins He—Jesus—sat down at the right hand of “the Majesty in heaven”—God the Father.
So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.
Because of the faithfulness of Jesus—He, Jesus, has been made far superior than the angels.
Just like the name He inherited is superior to the names of the angels. Rev 19:12b—“. . .He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. . .”
This passage in Hebrews continues by quoting passages from the Old Testament that support the facts that he just made.
Jesus, the Living Stone
Jesus, the Living Stone
As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him—
Peter uses the symbolism of a stone mason building a building.
Jesus is the Living Stone.
Jesus was a stone that was rejected by humans—but chosen by God. And precious to Him.
you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Followers of Jesus are also living stones.
Being built together into a spiritual house.
Working as a holy priesthood
Offering spiritual sacrifices to God through Jesus the Messiah.
For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”
Peter now quotes from Isaiah 28:16.
God is laying a stone in Zion—Jerusalem.
The stone is handpicked by God.
It is a precious cornerstone—the stone that sets the form for the entire building.
Everyone who trusts in this stone—Jesus—will never be put to shame!
Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,”
To those who believe—this stone is precious!
But to those who do not believe—Peter quotes Psalm 118:22—the stone that the human builders rejected, God chose to become the cornerstone—a precious stone.
Peter goes on and quotes from Isaiah 8:14.
and, “A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.
Jesus has become a stone that causes people to stumble—a rick that makes them fall.
The reason they stumble is because they choose to disobey the message of Jesus.
Peter goes on to say that those who reject Jesus message were destined to fall.
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
But you—those who believe—have become a chosen people.
We’ve become a royal priesthood.
We’ve become a holy nation.
We’ve become God’s special possession.
We are to declare God’s praises—because he called us out of the darkness and into God’s wonderful light.
Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Once we were not a people at all—nothing.
But now we are the people of God.
Once we had not experienced God’s mercy.
But NOW we have received God’s mercy!
So What
So What
Three passages that show Jesus being explained through the various letters. We looked at a passage written by Paul where we saw Jesus as the “Supreme Son of God.”
Then we looked at the letter to the Hebrews—a book that we don’t know who the author is—where we saw Jesus is the way God communicates to us today.
And finally we looked at the first letter that Peter wrote where we see Jesus as the Living stone—precious stone!
Today we need to experience Jesus as the One that has made us into His people! Because we are His people we should live differently—because we are a holy people!
Today, we need to celebrate all that Jesus has done for us—since He has a name that is above EVERY name.
And today, we need to celebrate the truth that we have been placed into a right relationship with God through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.